With only five weeks until Election Day, The Forum is launching its ‘2020 Vision: Election Watch’ countdown to inform our audience of the biggest issues they’ll vote on this year.
Here’s a comprehensive list of all the amendments Utahns can vote on this year to make changes to the state constitution. Among them include removing slavery as a punishment for crime, altering constitutional language to be gender-inclusive and more.
AMENDMENT A: Gender-Inclusive Language
- Sponsors: Deidre Henderson (R-UT) and John Knotwell (R-UT)
- What the amendment says: This amendment would alter the state constitution to include gender-inclusive language. This measure would change portions of the Utah Constitution from using male pronouns, opting for “persons” rather than “men.”
AMENDMENT B: Candidate Eligibility
- Sponsors: Dan McCay (R-UT) and Craig Hall (R-UT)
- What the amendment says: This amendment would specify that candidate eligibility requirements must be met at the time of the election, rather than the time the nominee would assume office. The proposal would not change the requirements to become a candidate.
AMENDMENT C: Remove Slavery From Constitution
- Sponsors: Sandra Hollins (D-UT) and Jacob Anderegg (R-UT)
- What the amendment says: This amendment would remove the reference to slavery in the Utah Constitution, which currently allows the use of involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime. If passed, the amendment would not alter the current administration of criminal justice — it would only ban slavery as a legal punishment.
AMENDMENT D: Municipal Water Rights
- Sponsor(s): Ralph Okerlund (R-UT) and Kevin Stratton (R-UT)
- What the amendment says: This amendment would specify situations in which a city can commit its water sources to areas outside its boundaries. It would also specify circumstances where a city could exchange its water sources with another city, revising the current provisions.
AMENDMENT E: Establish Right to Hunt or Fish
- Sponsors: Allen Christensen (R-UT) and Casey Snider (R-UT)
- What the amendment says: This amendment would officially establish hunting and fishing as a constitutional right in the state of Utah. It would also establish public hunting and fishing as the preferred method of wildlife management.
AMENDMENT F: Legislative Session Start Date
- Sponsors: Ann Millner (R-UT) and Mike McKell (R-UT)
- What the amendment says: This amendment would set an official start date for the 45-day state legislative session. As of right now, the session begins on the fourth Monday in January — however, this legislation would decide on an annual start date.
AMENDMENT G: Reallocate Portions of Education Taxes
- Sponsors: Dan McCay (R-UT) and Mike Schultz (R-UT)
- What the amendment says: This amendment would allow the state legislature to use revenue from income taxes — as well as intangible property taxes — to support children and individuals with disabilities. As of right now, that revenue is limited to being used to support public education and higher education.
